Liege

Liege, also known as Luik, is a major city and municipality in eastern Wallonia, Belgium. The city was founded as Vicus Leudicus during the 6th century, and it was converted to Christianity during the 8th century. Liege would be ruled by a prince-bishopric from 980 to 1789, from 1791 to 1792, and from 1793 to 1795, having nominal independence or autonomy under numerous nations. During the Middle Ages, Liege was fortified, and the city had the most democratic system that the Low Countries had ever known, with the 32 guilds having equal say in running the city. From 1465 to 1468, the city rebelled against the Duchy of Burgundy, and it was burnt to the ground twice and its rebellions crushed. The city remained under the rule of the De la Marck family even after the Habsburg takeover, and the absolutist rule of the bishops would be brought to an end by the French Revolutionary Army during the French Revolutionary Wars of the 1790s. The city evolved into the principal economic and cultural center of Wallonia, and it was home to a predominantly French-speaking population. In 2016, Liege had a population of 196,970 people.